A Valentine from the Heart
by Kristen3
Summary: For Valentine's Day, Niles gives Daphne a gift that takes her by surprise. Now complete!
1. Chapter 1

Niles could hardly wait to give Daphne his Valentine's Day gift. Earlier that morning, she'd presented him with a beautiful tie and matching handkerchief. It touched him to know that Daphne knew him so well. He loved her so much. It was hard to believe he'd ever been married to Maris or Mel. What he'd felt for them paled in comparison to the love he now shared with Daphne.

A rush of excitement went through Niles as he looked at the box again. He'd gone to great lengths to make this perfect. He only hoped that she would appreciate his effort. "Daphne, my love, could you please come down here for a second?"

Daphne had just finished laying her son down in his crib for a nap when she heard her husband's voice. She knew Niles didn't need a special day to let her know she was loved, but he wouldn't miss the opportunity. "David is sleeping peacefully," she said as she hurried down the stairs.

"I'm glad. You take such good care of him."

Blushing slightly, Daphne kissed him. "Well, _you_ take care of both of us. Happy Valentine's Day again, darling."

"Even if every day were February 14th, I would never tire of making sure you know how I feel. I missed far too many chances in the past."

Daphne squeezed his hand. "None of that. We should focus on the present...and the future." She thought of the baby asleep upstairs. The joy he'd added to both of their lives was indescribable.

"Well, then, without further ado, here is my Valentine's Day gift," Niles said, handing her the heart-shaped box.

"Chocolates? Oh, Niles, you know how I feel about sweets. I know I lost all of the weight years ago, but all it takes is one little mistake, and I'll be right back there again."

"My love, no matter what, I wouldn't love you one bit less. Your real beauty is in here." He placed his hand on her chest, where he could feel her heart beating steadily. "Now, before you get upset, why not open the box? You might be surprised." He grinned, barely able to control his excitement.

Daphne did as he'd asked, gasping when she saw what was inside. She'd been expecting expensive chocolates, which were sure to ruin her figure. But instead, what she saw was a smaller box, obviously containing jewelry.

Niles' heart warmed to see her smile. He opened the small box and took the ring out. Carefully, he placed it on her finger. "Daphne Moon-Crane, will you marry me...again?"

Tears began forming in Daphne's eyes before she could even admire the ring. "Oh, Niles...it's beautiful. I hardly even know what to say!"

"Well, I believe the appropriate thing would be _yes_." He grinned, leaning forward to kiss her.

The kiss ended, and Daphne couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Yes, of course, Niles. I could never be this happy with anyone else." She kissed him now. Even after such a long time together, these kisses remained every bit as wonderful as they had years ago. Their love had only grown stronger with time.


	2. Chapter 2

Daphne looked at the ring on her finger. She could hardly believe this was real. Apparently, after purchasing the ring, he'd done some checking, and he found a church nearby. This would actually be their 4th ceremony. The one Daphne remembered the most fondly was their first, in Reno. It had been an impulsive decision, flying all that way just to tie the knot. But it had felt right. The subsequent ceremonies had been merely to keep peace within their family.

Her mind returned to the present. She had just put David down for the night. She sighed as she looked at him. "You're going to look so handsome," she whispered, leaning down to kiss his soft cheek. "Just like your daddy. It's going to be such a special day. It's a shame you won't remember any of it, but we'll take lots of pictures." She laughed. "I'm not even nervous, just excited. The only time I was ever scared at a wedding was years ago. It was a sure sign that I was marrying the wrong man. Thank God I figured that out just in time. I couldn't imagine me life without you or your father."

"Talking to David again?" Niles asked, appearing in the doorway.

Daphne turned around, blushing slightly. She went to him, putting her arms around his waist. She sighed at the way they fit together. "I was just telling him about our wedding. The thought of renewing our vows never even crossed me mind, but now it's all I can think about."

"I never planned it, either, until I saw that ring in the jewelry store. I knew you had to have it, and I couldn't think of anything more wonderful than to ask you to be my wife again."

Tears formed in Daphne's eyes. There was no doubt that she'd chosen the right man to spend her life with. "I can hardly wait. David's going to look so adorable in his baby tuxedo."

Niles nodded. "I think even Dad's looking forward to it. It's a shame that Frasier can't come."

Daphne nodded sadly. Because Niles had insisted on doing this as quickly as possible, it was happening on the same weekend that her brother-in-law had an important speaking engagements. But he promised to visit the "newlyweds" the first chance he got.

Niles kissed the top of her head. He knew he'd never tire of being in her arms. He noticed she had suddenly become unusually quiet. "You need to get your rest. This wedding isn't going to plan itself, you know. And this time, it's going to involve a bit more than a trip to the courthouse."

Reluctantly, Daphne lifted her head from his chest. She'd been listening to the sound of his heart. It was very comforting, especially in light of the scare he'd had right after they were married. "Roz and I have a date to go dress-shopping tomorrow. I want to get the perfect dress. You won't see it till the big day, so I want to make sure it's worth the wait."

"Daphne, I waited seven years just to tell you I loved you. I think I can handle waiting a few days to see your dress." He kissed her hand, then gently led her to their bedroom. As much as he looked forward to the ceremony, he was breathless with anticipation of another event: the wedding night.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Daphne woke her husband with a kiss. "Well, you're certainly in a good mood," Niles said, smiling as the kiss ended.

"Well, today's me day to go dress-shopping with Roz. I hope we can find something. I'm not sure if they even make gowns for women who've had a baby!" She laughed nervously.

"My love, no matter what you wear, you'll be beautiful. I can hardly wait to see you standing at the end of the aisle. The first time I got to marry you, you weren't even wearing a dress at all, and you had your hair in a ponytail. Even so, I thought you were an angel."

Daphne sighed. "I'll never understand what you see in me, or what I've ever done to deserve you."

"You saved me from a life of loneliness and misery, that's what."

By this time, Daphne was dressed. She wore a simple shirt and a pair of jeans. No need to wear anything fancy for this. "Well, I'm going to say goodbye to David and tell him to be good for his daddy. I'll try not to take all day!"

"Don't worry about us. David and I will be fine. You just concentrate on finding a dress. I'm sure no matter what you pick, it will be perfect."

An hour later, Niles sighed. David sat on his lap, happily chewing on his fingers. The baby was beginning to get teeth, and this was a habit he'd picked up as a result. Niles leaned down to kiss his son's soft blond hair. "I love your mother so much. I know you'll hear the story so many times, you'll think we're making it up, but I really did love her from the first time I saw her. Your grandfather and your uncle both told me to stop wasting my time, but I just couldn't. I knew we were supposed to be together. I'm so glad now that I never listened to their advice. Because now, here we are, about to renew our vows. I know you're too young to understand or remember, but we want you to be there anyway. Maybe when you're older and we show you the pictures, you'll understand how much we love each other."

David looked up at his father, confused. The baby clearly had no idea what Niles was talking about. "I know that this is all going over your head, but someday, I hope you find a woman as wonderful as your mommy. If you do, never, ever let her go." Niles kissed his son's cheek, hoping somehow, the baby would understand.


	4. Chapter 4

Daphne could hardly believe this was it. In just a few moments, she and Niles would make promises to each other, and their commitment would be sealed yet again. She had David in her arms. Just as she'd predicted, he did look adorable in his little suit. "I knew you'd be as handsome as daddy," she whispered, kissing his cheek. It was time for final preparations before walking down the aisle. David would only get in the way, so Daphne knew it was time to hand him off to her father-in-law and Ronee. The two were already seated in the front pew of the church. David clapped excitedly at the sight of his grandparents. "Roz and I still have to fix a few things before we start, so it's best if David stays out here."

Martin smiled. "We'll keep an eye on him. Come here, David." Martin held his arms open.

Daphne stood a foot or so away from their pew. She knew David had taken a couple of wobbly steps at home recently, so now might be a good time for him to show off those skills. "Go to Grandpa," she instructed, as she placed him on the floor.

David looked up at her, uncertainly, then he seemed to realize what he'd been asked to do. He took a few steps. It was clear he hadn't quite learned how to balance yet, but Daphne couldn't have been prouder. Just as he neared Martin's seat, David began to lose his balance. Luckily, his grandfather was able to pick him up. "It's OK, Daph. He'll be fine, you just go do what you have to do. I can't imagine how you could make yourself look any better, though."

Daphne blushed at what she knew was an undeserved compliment. She smiled and gave her in-laws a slight wave, then made her way back to the small room where Roz and Alice waited.

"Well, Roz, tell me honestly, how do I look?" Daphne asked when she'd returned.

Roz rolled her eyes. "You know you could show up here in your oldest pair of sweats, and Niles would still think you looked amazing. I'm telling you, we couldn't have found you a more perfect dress. Niles is going to be speechless!"

Touched by her friend's words, Daphne pulled Roz into a tight hug. "Thank you so much, Roz!"

"I haven't quite gotten over missing out on your first wedding in Reno, so this kind of makes up for it," Roz replied dismissively.

"Is Niles ready?" Daphne asked.

Roz quickly peeked back out into the chapel and saw Niles standing near the altar. He looked as if he were fighting back tears. "Yeah, I think he is," she said, turning back toward Daphne. "OK, Alice, it's your turn now. Just like last time." Alice nodded. She'd been flower girl before, so this was no big deal.

After Alice had made her way down the aisle, scattering her flower petals, Roz shifted into bridesmaid mode. She held onto her bouquet and slowly made her way out to the aisle. Daphne stayed behind, watching her friend. She couldn't help wondering how Roz hadn't managed to find love the way she had with Niles. But now wasn't the time to worry about that. Roz took her place opposite Niles, and off to the side. It was Daphne's turn.

Daphne felt her breath catch in her throat as she saw Niles standing there. He looked even more handsome than usual. She walked toward him, never taking her eyes off her husband.

Niles could hardly breathe as Daphne neared him. Her dress was off-white, and looked stunning on her. Even though he knew it went against wedding tradition, he leaned over to gently kiss her cheek. "You're an angel," Niles whispered as he drew back.

Too emotional to speak, Daphne gave her husband a grateful smile.

"Well, shall we begin the ceremony?" the minister asked. Niles and Daphne nodded in response. The minister smiled. "Often, when I marry couples, I send them off to begin their lives together, never knowing how things will turn out. Unfortunately, the divorce rate in this country is alarmingly high."

Niles couldn't help flinching at the mention of divorce. His two failed marriages were in the past now, but he still regretted both. He always would.

The minister sensed he'd said something wrong. "But, seeing a couple like these two, who are already married, and still so in love, restores my faith. Niles has told me a bit about his and Daphne's story, and what you've all been through. It isn't easy to follow one's heart, even when all signs seem to point in the opposite direction. But Niles did that, and now these two stand here, ready to reaffirm their commitment. I believe these two would like to say a few words. Niles?"

Niles took a deep breath. He'd planned to recite the same vows they had said in Reno, the ones they kept repeating in their fake ceremonies. But even those words couldn't express what was in his heart right now. "Daphne, when we met, I was...well, quite frankly, I was dying, and I didn't even know it. But then I saw you, and I suddenly had a purpose. You gave me such an incredible gift, pure friendship when I needed it most. But still, I was afraid to take a chance. I waited until literally the last possible moment to make my feelings known. It was the scariest thing I've ever done. But the risk paid off, because here you are beside me, and now we have the most precious son. I can't thank you enough for all of it. I love you, Daphne."

The church was quiet for a moment, as everyone felt a lump in their throats. The silence was broken by David, who clapped his hands, laughing when he saw he had gotten everyone's attention.

Daphne's heart swelled with love for her son. He was far too young to fully understand what was happening, but he was happy. She turned back to Niles. "When I first came to work for your brother, it seemed like such a strange thing. Your brother and father weren't exactly the easiest people to live with. But you made things better by making me feel welcome. It meant so much to know that someone noticed me outfit, or asked how I was doing. I suppose now I should've seen the signs, but somehow I didn't. When I did find out, I could hardly believe it. Sometimes I still don't. I feel like I'm the luckiest woman in the world, and I'll spend the rest of my life thanking you for all you've done. I love you, Niles."

Once again, there were more than a few tears shed as Niles and Daphne sealed their promises with a kiss.

When the kiss ended, the family came up to the altar. Niles and Daphne found themselves being hugged from all sides. Naturally, David was given plenty of kisses by his parents. Daphne held her son close. This wedding had been more special than any of the others, because he was here.

Roz approached the two of them. Without a word, she took David from Daphne's arms.

"Roz, what on earth are you doing?!" Daphne asked.

"Well, you know how much Alice loves having David over. And something tells me you two are going to have better things to do tonight." She winked knowingly.

For a moment, Daphne began to protest. It could never be a burden to take care of a sweet boy like David. But Niles squeezed her hand. "Thank you, Roz. That's very sweet."

Suddenly, the idea of having a break from parental responsibilities sounded very appealing to Daphne. Yes, this was one Valentine's Day none of them would ever forget.

**The End**


End file.
